Action points and such

[Trodax]

While tinkering with the d20 rules, I came to thinking of Action points and variants of them. So what are the different types of such points in the various d20 games out there?

The two I know of:

Action points in Modern (and Grim Tales, I think): Spend a point to improve a roll with 1d6, or power a class ability. You get a fixed amount of points at each level, and the points are renewed every time you level up.

Fate points in Conan: Spend a point to be "left for dead" when you would have normally been killed, or to automatically inflict maximum damage on a succesfull attack. There are also a few other uses, such as slightly altering the story in your favour. You start out with 3 points, but they are never automatically renewed. Instead they are awarded for achieving story goals.

What else?

 

[reanjr]

Just written for my system this morning:

Action Points

A story is better when the characters are not guaranteed to succeed. Watching them overcome insurmountable odds is part of the fun. A Narrator may reward and encourage this type of behavior by awarding Action Points.

Action Points are one-use boosts to help your character accomplish something important or to get him out of a jam. In game terms, you can use an Action Point in one of the following ways.
Add 1d6 to single d20 roll. After you have rolled a check, but before determining success or failure, you may choose to spend an Action Point to increase the result by 1d6. You can spend additional Action Points to further increase the result.
Automatically stabalize your character when he is dying.
Take an extra action on your turn without suffering the normal -5 penalty for doing so. You can use this additional action to perform a non-check action. You may only use an Action Point for this purpose only once per turn.
Reduce the penalty for a Combat Maneuver by 5. You can never gain a bonus from performing a Combat Maneuver.

A character can never have more Action Points than his character's Level.

The Narrator, if she chooses to use Action Points should give a character an Action Point no more than once per Action Scene. In addition, a character should not receive an Action Point for anything that utilizes an Action Point. With these guidelines in mind, the Narrator should grant an Action Point whenever the character does something daring or something that makes the group go "Wow, that was cool."

How often the Narrator awards Action Points is mostly dependent on how outrageous she wants the Action to be in the story.

 

[Roudi]

Unearthed Arcana includes Action Points among it's rules variants, and the Eberron setting also uses Action Points. Star Wars d20 has Force Points, which work in a very similar manner to Action Points.

 

[Trodax]

Unearthed Arcana includes Action Points among it's rules variants, and the Eberron setting also uses Action Points. Star Wars d20 has Force Points, which work in a very similar manner to Action Points.

I see. Are the Action points in UA and Eberron the exact same as in Modern?

 

[Roudi]

I see. Are the Action points in UA and Eberron the exact same as in Modern?

I honestly have no idea, having read neither version in-depth. In eberron, I have heard that action points can be used for other things besides providing a d6 boost on a d20 roll. Action points can be spent to automatically stabilize yourself while dying, or so I have read in an Eberron preview. I think there are other things Action Points can be used for as well.

 

[Krieg]

FFG's Grimm has Imagination Points

Adventure! has Inspiration Points & dramatic editing

 

[Trodax]

FFG's Grimm has Imagination Points

Adventure! has Inspiration Points & dramatic editing

Never heard of those before. How do they work?

BTW, doesn't Spycraft have its own version of Action points?

 

[Khorod]

Force Points in d20 Star Wars, very like Action Points.

Hero Points in Arcana Unearthed are the most powerful of all. (+20 to skill, +1d20 to Saving Throw or Attack Roll, Extra Standard Action at any time, Bend the Rules [such as disarm a sword and catch it in your hand]) Non-regenerative.

My Honor Points for my OA campaign:
Your honor points correlates to an honor score. You improve it by acting honorably, and reduce it by acting dishonorably. Your Honor Score is added to certain things, like your Leadership score. Honor Points are easily lost when your score is high, and easily gained when low.

Your honor score has a supernatural presence that can be detected by advanced mystics, certain monsters, and can help resist taint. In every session, you can spend a number of Honor Points equal to your score.

Each Honor Point lets you add 1d6 to any die roll in the game. You can spend multiple Honor Points on a single roll. Spending an honor point on an attack roll also makes the weapon Honorable for purposes of penetrating DR.

 

[dvvega]

Unearthed Arcana Action Points are d20 Modern with extras.

Eberron is Unearthed Arcana with extras (or the same ... not 100% sure without both books in front of me).

 

[Krieg]

Never heard of those before. How do they work?

I'll write it up when I get a chance...